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NFL coaches like to say they need to make a “game-time decision” on injured players, but the Bears took that to new lengths Sunday.
It was unclear who would start at quarterback for Chicago until Trevor Siemian jogged onto the field when the Bears got the ball. There was speculation all week that starter Justin Fields would not play due to a separated left shoulder. The Bears officially ruled him out about 90 minutes before kickoff.
The expectation then was that Siemian would start, but then reports came out that Siemian injured an oblique muscle during pregame warm-ups and Nathan Peterman would start. Then, the Bears said it would be decided at kickoff. Finally, it was Siemian. The Jets said the quarterback dance did not have any effect on them.
“We were preparing for Fields,” Saleh said after the Jets’ 31-10 win. “The only difference between Fields and the other two kids is the quarterback run game. All the pregame stuff, nothing changed. It didn’t matter. Once Fields was out, we were playing a completely different game.”
The Bears said they tried to let Fields see if he could go during pregame warm-ups but decided against playing him. Then, Siemian had his issue.
“During pregame warm-up, Trevor was out there.
